Monday, December 8, 2014

Smothered Crispy Pork Cutlets with Cauliflower Mash

Mel just posted this and we tried it yesterday. Rob died over it. I loved it too. The cauliflower mash was new. I thought it was a good way to squeeze some veggies into the dinner. I think next time I might do half cauliflower, half normal mashed potatoes though. It was a bit watery on its own. Half this recipe served us with leftovers to spare.

My changes in red.

YIELD:SERVES 6-8

The pork can be made ahead of time and kept in a single layer in a baking dish in a warm oven (set to about 170 degrees) for up to an hour. Also the cauliflower mash can be made several days in advance, stored in the refrigerator, and warmed in the microwave or in a baking dish in the oven for serving.

INGREDIENTS

Pork:

2 pounds pork tenderloin(s), trimmed of excess fat (They only had pork chops at the store, so I used those instead. I thought they were great.)

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I just scooped some that was leftover from breading the pork)

3 cups low-sodium beef broth or stock

1 cup half-and-half

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (skipped this)

Cauliflower Mash:

2 heads cauliflower, florets

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons sour cream

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (may or may not have doubled this on accident. We survived. Yum.)

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

For the pork, slice the tenderloins into ½-inch pieces. Lightly pound with a mallet or the bottom of a small saucepan inbetween pieces of plastic wrap or inside a thick resealable Ziploc bag until each pieces is about ¼-inch thick.

Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge each piece of pork in the flour mixture on both sides. In a large, 12-inch skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat until hot and shimmering.

Add the pork in a single layer (you may need to do this in batches), leaving a bit of space between each piece, and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until just cooked through (will register 145 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer). Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining pork (adding a little extra butter and olive oil if the skillet is dry). Cover the pork lightly with a lid or aluminum foil to keep warm. (I did this and they weren't super crispy like the title says, but still very good)

Once the pork has all been cooked and transferred out of the skillet, return the skillet to medium heat and add the 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter for the sauce. Add the mushrooms, shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms have softened and are beginning to brown, about 6-8 minutes.

Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. The flour should take on some brown color and the mixture should sizzle a bit. Gradually pour in the stock, about ½ cup at a time, deglazing the pan and scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Continue adding the stock, whisking constantly to avoid lumps and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir in the half-and-half. Simmer for 5-6 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. (I tried doing this with just the flour and it wouldn't thicken like I wanted it to. I just used cornstarch and thickened it like a traditional gravy)

Transfer the pork to a platter and pour the sauce over the top (some can be reserved to be served separately). Sprinkle with the fresh parsley. Serve the smothered pork over mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash.

For the cauliflower mash, clean and trim the large stems off the heads of cauliflower. Cut the florets into pieces. Boil the cauliflower in a large pot of water until very tender, about 8-10 minutes. (I want to try to steam it next time. I had a hard time getting it to not be watery) Drain off the water and lay the cauliflower pieces on several layers of paper towels. Pat dry until very little moisture remains (do so quickly as you want the cauliflower warm when blending). Add the cooked cauliflower to a food processor, blender or use a large bowl and an immersion blender. Toss in the butter, sour cream, Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste (start with ½ teaspoon each and add more if needed). Process until thick and smooth.